Position Purpose
The Director of Benefits provides enterprise leadership for the design, governance, and execution of comprehensive employee benefits programs that support the organization’s business objectives, workforce strategy, and financial priorities. This role serves as the primary authority on benefits strategy, plan design, and governance, ensuring programs are competitive, equitable, compliant, and financially sustainable.
Reporting to the Vice President, Total Rewards, the Director of Benefits partners closely with senior leadership, Finance, HR, and external partners to deliver data-driven benefits solutions that enhance employee experience, support health and well-being, and enable talent attraction and retention across a large, complex organization.
Key Responsibilities
Benefits Strategy & Enterprise Leadership
Develop, lead, and execute a forward-looking enterprise benefits strategy aligned with business objectives, talent priorities, and market best practices.
Serve as the enterprise authority on benefits strategy, providing clear guidance and recommendations to senior leaders on program design, competitiveness, and cost sustainability.
Ensure benefits offerings support overall employee well-being.
Plan Design & Program Ownership
Own benefit plan design decisions across all programs, including medical, pharmacy, dental, vision, life, disability, retirement, time-off and well-being programs.
Determine funding strategies, eligibility rules, employee contribution structures, and plan features, balancing employee experience, competitiveness, and affordability.
Lead the annual benefits planning and renewal cycle, including strategy development, vendor negotiations, cost modeling, leadership recommendations, and open enrollment execution.
Financial Stewardship & Risk Management
Lead self-insured benefits strategy, including claims performance oversight, stop-loss strategy, pharmacy cost management, and risk mitigation initiatives.
Partner closely with Finance, FP&A, and actuarial partners to manage multi-year benefits cost forecasting, trend analysis, and funding recommendations.
Oversee the benefits budget with strong fiscal discipline, ensuring cost containment while maintaining competitive and sustainable programs.
Governance, Compliance & Fiduciary Oversight
Establish and maintain enterprise benefits governance and fiduciary frameworks, including ERISA compliance, audit readiness, vendor controls, and documentation standards.
Ensure compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations governing employee benefits.
Monitor regulatory developments and proactively adjust policies and practices to mitigate risk and ensure ongoing compliance.
Vendor & Partner Management
Own strategic relationships with benefits vendors, brokers, consultants, and third-party administrators.
Drive vendor performance management, contract negotiations, and service optimization to ensure high-quality delivery and strong financial outcomes.
Leverage vendor partnerships to identify innovative solutions and emerging trends.
Employee Experience, Communication & Change Leadership
Own the enterprise benefits communication and education strategy, ensuring clear, engaging, and effective messaging across all employee populations.
Lead change management efforts related to benefits program enhancements, renewals, and system implementations.
Promote a culture of health, well-being, and informed benefits decision-making across the organization.
Data, Metrics & Continuous Improvement
Define and monitor key benefits performance metrics, including cost trends, utilization, engagement, and program effectiveness.
Use data and insights to drive continuous improvement and inform strategic decisions.
Benchmark programs against industry standards and best practices to maintain competitive positioning.
Technology & Systems Ownership
Own benefits administration and partner with HR Systems on overall technology strategy and needs to support the…